Iniquity (The Premonition, #5)(89)

“What do you mean?”

“Me light—ye’re here ta free it.”

“Your light? I’m sorry—I don’t—”

“Me light is me soul. Whah was inside me was me light—most o’ whah was good and whah made me special—’tis Faerie. It has been gone ever since Aodh made me Gancanagh. I’ve been waitin’ for me queen ta arrive ta free me from dis and make me whole once more.”

“How do I do that, Finn?” I whisper, desperate for information.

“I do na know, but I know ye will na fail me.”

“How long have you known I was your queen?”

“I dared ta hope ’twas ye when Brennus touched ye at da library—dat night in Houghton. Ye did na lose ta us—ye did na become jus another wan. But ’twas when ye destroyed Keegan in da mines dat I truly began ta believe ’twas ye. I tought den dat if yer soul separated from ye, ’twould travel ta Sheol and free us.”

“Why didn’t you tell me all of this before?”

“I could na. Someting has always kept me from speaking of it—a magical force like da one we created wi’ yer contract. But ’tis gone now. I do na know how or why, but ’tis no longer a slipknot around me throat.”

Brennus speaks to Finn, “Atwater told me da only way ye’d survive, Finn, was if I went after ye. Ye’d already been made Gancanagh, but I didn’t know it. I went ta meet Aodh and yer whole crew had already been changed inta undead craiturs.

“I remember. I know whah ye did for me. Ye’re still me king, brudder,” Finn says, “but Genevieve is me queen. She’s da one I fight for now. She’s here ta dig up me soul and reunite it wi’ me bones.”

I look from Finn to Brennus. “We need to prepare for battle. We have to mobilize the fellas and get them to Crestwood—”

“’Tis done,” Finn says. “Most of our army is near dere already. We have a few hundred or so fellas here ta protect ye until we depart. Ye need ta prepare for da battle now. I’ve armor dat I made for ye.” I look at the medieval Faerie armor beside me. He catches me and smiles for the first time, “’Tis na like dat armor. Da armor I created for ye looks modern and will chafe ye less. His eyes travel over my entourage. “I have armor for all of ye and modern weapons charmed by our best spell crafters.”

“Thank you, Finn,” I murmur.

Brennus approaches me slowly, saying, “We stand little chance against all of da aingeals. We can fight da fallen or da divine, but we can na hold out against both of dem.”

“We won’t have to, Brennus. We’ll fight Emil. Xavier and my father will bring their armies to help us.”

“Eh? Divine aingeals do na fight wi’ Gancanagh,” Brennus says in disbelief.

“They do now,” I reply.

“Emil will be hard ta kill, mo chroí. His brand of savagery is someting I’ve na seen in a long time. Do ye know whah he did when he found out da location of his soul mate on Earth in dis lifetime?” Brennus asks.

I pale, shaking my head. “No.” I glance at Russell to see that he’s listening. Russell’s mouth forms a grim line.

“When Emil was only fifteen, he went ta her home a few cities away. He knew who she was and whah she was because unlike ye, he had total recall of all of his previous lifetimes. His soul mate was still a little girl—only eleven. He found her and he butchered her. She was da other’s inescapable,” he gestures toward Russell, “but she does na exist anymore. Neither of ye will ever see her again in any lifetime. Emil used da weapon dat is meant ta kill ye, mo chroí, ta annihilate her soul as well as her angelic body.”

“Why would he do that?” I whisper.

“He does na want anyone ta be as powerful as him.”

I feel like I can’t breathe. Finn notices. He gestures to the hallway that leads from this room, “If you come dis way, I will get ye and yer friends outfitted wi’ whah ye’ll need ta face whah lies ahead.”

I nod. Finn picks up the battle hammer and ushers me to the adjacent corridor. We enter a room that has state-of-the-art weaponry and lightweight modern armor. “Dese weapons,” Finn says, spreading his arm wide, “have all been charmed. Da body armor has been enchanted ta repel other magic, but I do na know how ’twill fare against Emil. He’s exceptional when it comes ta conjuring energy. Ye have ta be spry and avoid his spells as much as possible.”

He rests the weapon in his hand against the wall as he opens a glass case that contains ebony body armor. Lifting it out of the case, he holds the shapely combat uniform up to me. The breastplate is a hard shell, the surface of which appears black until I touch it. When my skin meets it, scrolling Faerie writing illuminates it in silver and gold light, showing the protective magic layered into it. Finn presses it into my arms. “Dere’s a room,” he points to one of the several silver doors to my right.

“I have to pee,” I blurt out. I do. I’m so afraid that it has made finding a bathroom a dire necessity.

“Dat is why we’ll win, mo chroí,” Brennus says behind me, “because ye’re still so human.”

Am I still human? I don’t know. All I know is I’m terrified and I need a few seconds to myself.

Finn takes pity on me. “Ye can do dat in da room I jus showed ye as well. Dis part of da seminary was an underground bathhouse. Dere’s a shower and grooming—”